Where Defeat Is Not An Option

At ThreatsWatch.org, Steve Schippert and Clyde Middleton have dug up the bizarre and unsettling issuance of an executive order recently signed by President Barack Obama. Executive Order — Amending Executive Order 12425, signed December 16 and released a day later, grants the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) rights on American soil that place it beyond the reach of our own law enforcement agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Schippert and Middleton note that Obama’s order removes protections placed upon INTERPOL by President Reagan in 1983. Obama’s order gives the group the authority to avoid Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests — which means this foreign law enforcement organization can operate free of an important safeguard against governmental abuse. “Property and assets,” including the organization’s records, cannot be searched or seized. Their physical locations and records are now immune from U.S. legal or investigative authorities.

The order, itself, is entirely incomprehensible to anyone not an expert in US law. It doesn’t say what it is supposed to do and no explanation of why its done is offered. This order essentially allows a foreign police force to act with impunity in the United States.

Now, why would Obama do this? Three possibilities:

1. He just signs whatever his aides place in front of him.

2. He just didn’t understand what he was signing.

3. He thinks it a good idea to allow a foreign police force to operate outside American law within the borders of the United States.

Now, domestic and international leftists will be pleased with this – it might even allow Interpol to arrest Americans charged before that kangaroo court in the Hague (the ICC). While, technically, this could be used against President Bush and members of his Administration, the more likely use will be against US soldiers accused of war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. And who would be accusing them? Terrorists. Terrorists sponsors. Terrorists apologists. Run-of-the-mill leftist anti-Americans. A rouge’s gallery, in other words.

If someone on the left wanted to spark off a massive revolt in the United States, there would be no surer method than the sight of foreigners arresting an American war hero on trumped up, enemy-inspired charges. President Obama needs to rethink this one very carefully.